4. Contents 1 Background 2 Battle 3 Aftermath 4 Battlefield preservation 5 See also 6 References 1. With two of the three main rivers connecting the North and South under Union control, the Federals turned their attention to the Mississippi River. Defending that border was difficult for the Confederacy because three major rivers (the Mississippi, which flows south to the Gulf of Mexico, and the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, which flow north to the Ohio River) provided relatively easy access to the South. Now on the Vicksburg side of the river, Grants men marched toward their first objective, Port Gibson, situated roughly ten miles east of Bruinsburg, which commanded the local road network. McClernand stopped to reorganize, then launched into a series of grandiose speeches until Grant pointed out that the Confederates had simply withdrawn to a more defendable position. Night fighting such as this was rare during the Civil War because it was difficult to maintain command and control of the troops. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. McPhersons Corps marched along Bruinsburg Road. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. At nightfall they were forced to yield and the Union victory established a foothold to attack Vicksburg. This strategic battle was fought eight miles west of Bethel Church on May 1, 1863. Just then, a single shot rang out as the Confederate pickets spotted movement in the distance. Green quickly mounted and raced back to Magnolia Church to alert his brigade. Grant also ordered Colonel Benjamin Garrison to stage a daring cavalry raid through central Mississippi, which forced Confederate Commander of the Army of Mississippi, John C. Pemberton, to divert troops away from Vicksburg. Port Hudson Maps. He would march his army down the Louisiana side of the [] On April 29, 1863, Grant put his grand scheme into action. Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. Gen. Alvin P. Hovey's 12th Division arrived and surged forward just as Carr's men were storming the Confederate position. Port Gibson: Featured Resources Civil War | Video Vicksburg Campaign Civil War | Article 10 Facts: The Vicksburg Campaign Civil War | Biography James B. McPherson Brig. With the aid of Admiral Porter's gunboats, Grant attempted to move Major General John A. McClernand's 13th Army Corps down the Mississippi River on transport barges and execute a landing on the east bank at Grand Gulf, located at the juncture of the Mississippi and the Big Black River roughly thirty miles below Vicksburg. Porters troop transports, landing at Bruinsburg. On January 30, 1862, the Western Theater commander, General Henry Halleck, reluctantly approved Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grants request to attack Fort Henry, on the Tennessee River. The remaining garrison at Grand Gulf was evacuated the next day. Wary of Tracy's Brigade to the north, McClernand posted Brig. Advanced elements of the XVII Corps arrived in time to save the bridge from destruction. At roughly 8 a.m., a Union musket ball pierced General Tracys breast, killing him instantly, but his men held on until about 10 a.m. when their lines crumbled. When spring arrived, he set a new plan into motion. . Gen. Peter J. Osterhaus's 9th Division facing that direction. The women were terrified and, screaming with fright, leaped into the wagon and whipped the animals toward Port Gibson. Later that night, Grant ordered McClernand and Major General James B. McPherson to march their 13th and 17th Army Corps down the Louisiana side of the Mississippi past Grand Gulf. . The 1st Light Artillery destroyed a Confederate battery, but the 6th and 12th batteries took no important part in the battle. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. American Battlefield Trust's Map Reprint Permission Policy, Gettysburg | Picketts Charge | July 3, 1863 | 3:45 - 4:00 pm, Antietam | West Woods | Sep 17, 1862 | 9:00 - 11:30 am. Admiral David Farragut captured the port city of New Orleans on May 18, 1862, closing down Confederate access to the Gulf. Admiral David Farragut captured the port city of New Orleans on May 18, 1862, closing down Confederate access to the Gulf. Gen. Edward Tracy, who anchored the Confederate right flank roughly a mile and half to the northwest. To the north, nearly impenetrable swamps and bayous protected Vicksburg. The Battle of Port Gibson was a resounding Union victory that secured Grants beachhead east of the Mississippi River and cleared the way to the Southern Railroad supplying Vicksburg. He sent three divisions, commanded by his most trusted subordinate, General William T. Sherman, down the river from Memphis to attack Vicksburg from the north. Under threat of being surrounded, Bowen also evacuated the formidable Fort Cobun at Grand Gulf, yielding control of the area to Grants Army of the Tennessee. Despite the resulting delay, however, the Army of the Tennessee moved onto the river bluffs unopposed and pushed rapidly towards Port Gibson. As the situation deteriorated, Bowen wired his superiors: "We have been engaged in a furious battle ever since daylight; losses very heavy. The Union Army was led by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and they were victorious. This FREE annual event brings together educators from all over the world for sessions, lectures, and tours from leading experts. Copyright20062023,Somerightsreserved. McClernand and McPherson then rendezvoused with Porter at Bruinsburg, fewer than ten miles downriver from Grand Gulf. Rather than moving forward to confront the Union invasion force at Bruinsburg, where it was most vulnerable, Pemberton kept most of his troops in garrison at Vicksburg. Despite the thousands of Yankees involved, the Confederate forces in the area still outnumbered them. The 11th, 23rd, and 29th Wisconsin Infantry regiments and the 1st and 6th Wisconsin Light Artillery batteries participated in the assault on Port Gibson. The Union Army was led by Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and was victorious. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. The Union forces were brought across by Read Admiral D.D. Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History, NearBruinsburg in Claiborne County, Mississippi , 1. The 11th Wisconsin Infantry was among the first units to attack and remained in front throughout the battle. As Greens men scrambled to the rear, Brig. As an Amazon Associate, the owner of AHC can earn from qualifying purchases. On April 22, six more boats made it through, bringing Grant the supplies he needed to launch his assault on Vicksburg. Mine Run - Union Off. It lost 21 men. McClernand and McPherson then rendezvoused with Porter at Bruinsburg, fewer than ten miles downriver from Grand Gulf. The Confederate victory proved to be inconsequential, however. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. On the night of April 16, seven gunboats and three supply ships under the command of Rear Admiral David Dixon Porter ran the gauntlet of Confederate batteries along the river. [4], The surviving Shaifer plantation house is now owned by the state. The Battle of Port Gibson was fought near Port Gibson, Mississippi, on May 1, 1863, between Union and Confederate forces during the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. The site is owned, operated, and funded by R.Squared Communications, LLC. The A. K. Shaifer House was the site of the opening shots in the Battle of Port Gibson. Grant understood the nature of the explosion and rode to Grand Gulf with a small escort, enjoying his first bath in weeks, and celebrating the capture of what would become his central supply depot as he moved inland. The battle secured a Union beachhead east of the Mississippi River and enabled Grant to move northeastward unopposed. Meanwhile, Grant approached the city with the bulk of his army from the east, but Rebel cavalry cut his supply lines, forcing him to retreat before launching an assault. The Battle of Port Gibson was fought near Port Gibson, Mississippi, on May 1, 1863, between Union and Confederate forces during the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. As the Union forces came ashore, they secured a beachhead and began marching toward Port Gibson by late afternoon on April 30. At dawn, the Federals . Port Gibson Confederate Official Records. . The invasion of Mississippi by roughly 23,000 Union soldiers on April 30, 1863, was the largest amphibious offensive in American history prior to the invasion of Normandy, France, during World War II. By mid-April, his men had carved a path through the Louisiana wilderness that would enable Grant to march the Army of the Tennessee past Vicksburg, cross the river, and then attack the city from the south. By late 1861, President Abraham Lincoln was pressuring Union commanders in the west to invade the South. Subscribe to the American Battlefield Trust's quarterly email series of curated stories for the curious-minded sort! Within six weeks, Grant captured Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland River, establishing Federal control of both waterways. After the battle the mansion was used as a Union hospital and observation post, thus sparing it from being burned by Union troops. This historical marker is Near Bruinsburg in Claiborne County Mississippi, 3. The following information is provided for citations. Canals were dug and abandoned. The Union troops pushed forward all along the line and fierce fighting continued throughout the afternoon. Port Gibson | May 1, 1863 (June 2020) American Battlefield Trust Port Gibson, ten miles east of Bruinsburg on the Little Bayou Pierre River, commanded the road network between Grand Gulf and Jackson and was Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's first objective after crossing the Mississippi. Please read ourPrivacy Policyregarding the use of cookies and visitor tracking. Despite the reinforcements, Green was still heavily outnumbered and around 10:00 a.m. his line collapsed. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Manage Settings Time and againUlysses S. Granttried and failed to approach the bastion city. After a prolonged siege, Grant eventually forced Pemberton to surrender on July 4, 1863. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. When Confederates under Brig. As long as they held it, Union forces could not ship men or supplies any further south. After failing to capture the strategically important city in late 1862 and early 1863, Grant decided on a new plan. Battle of Port Gibson - Grant's March Marker. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Brought were only enough horses to pull the artillery. Despite heavy Rebel fire, Porter passed the city, losing only one ship. The mesmerizing ruins are all that remain of what was once Mississippi's largest antebellum mansion. The Federal landing at Bruinsburg, Mississippi, on April 30, 1863, and the ensuing victory at the Battle of Port Gibson the next day, cemented a Union presence in western Mississippi that led to the eventual downfall of the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg on the Mississippi River. Union forces entering Port Gibson . Join us July 13-16! Restoration of the site is in progress and the majority of the battlefield is privately owned. As McPhersons troops moved along Rodney Road in the dark, they encountered light opposition from Greens advance patrols until stopping at about 3 a.m. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. Having developed each other's positions, the opposing forces sat down and waited for daylight. 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